Government updates on situation of Hong Kong people in Wuhan

     In response to media enquiries regarding the situation of Hong Kong people in Hubei Province, a spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said that as of this morning (February 10), the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government received more than 1,000 requests for assistance from Hong Kong people in Hubei Province, involving 2,000 people scattered over 30 cities in the province.
 
     The HKSAR Government, through the Wuhan Economic and Trade Office (Wuhan ETO) has all along maintained close communication with the Hong Kong people in Hubei Province to understand their needs, and liaised with relevant government departments there to provide assistance wherever practicable.
 
     "We understand that some Hong Kong people may have needs for medicaments and medical treatment. The Wuhan ETO has liaised with the Department of Health (DH) and contacted the Hong Kong people in need to gather information about their medical history with a view to obtaining medicaments they need from the Hospital Authority or from private medical practitioners via their relatives in Hong Kong, and passing the medicaments to Wuhan for further distribution to these people. The first batch of medicaments arrived at the Wuhan ETO yesterday and were successfully delivered to the people in need. Arrangements will be made to send the rest of the medicaments to Wuhan in batches as soon as possible," the spokesman said.
 
     "Additionally, a health hotline was set up by the DH to provide medical advice to the Hong Kong people in need. The Wuhan ETO has also provided them with contacts of local medical organisations which offer online medical consultation services. Those in need may seek medical advice through this online service."
 
     In considering whether to arrange the return of Hong Kong people in Hubei, the spokesman pointed out that the Government would, in a prudent and thorough manner, evaluate the public health risks involved and the practicability, particularly in terms of ways to ensure that cross-infection would not occur during their return journey. Also to be considered are quarantine arrangements upon their arrival in Hong Kong including the availability of suitable quarantine venues with adequate capacity. The Government will act in a judicious manner, while continuing to maintain communication with the Hong Kong people there and making its utmost effort to provide them with suitable assistance.